The New York State legislature recently wrapped up its 2015 budget negotiations with a favorable outcome for community pharmacy as it rejected an executive branch proposal to change how New York’s Medicaid program reimburses pharmacies for prescription medications.

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association on Tuesday applauded Tennessee state Rep. Tony Shipley, R-Kingsport, after his legislation — H.B. 1257 — passed out of the Tennessee House of Representatives.

The American Pharmacists Association Foundation has announced the elected officers for its board of directors for the 2014-2015 term: Ed Hamilton as president, Mark Cziraky as VP and Bruce Laughrey as treasurer.

In an effort to curb abuse of over-the-counter cold and cough medications by minors, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday signed legislation — House Bill 2163 — that places an age restriction on the purchase of dextromethorphan.

The American Pharmacists Association Foundation and software company IQware Solutions have teamed up to create core components of an IMPACT Healthcare Innovation Hub, a new data aggregation and reporting tool that will integrate clinical and economic data.

Eileen Breslin, dean and professor of the School of Nursing at the University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, has been elected to serve a two-year term as president of the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.

A new analysis from Avalere Health released Monday found that consumers purchasing insurance through exchanges are twice as likely to face utilization management controls on prescription medications compared with people enrolled in employer-sponsored insurance plans.

The Consumer Healthcare Products Association on Wednesday released the results of a recent poll of Missouri voters conducted by GS Strategy Group and supported by CHPA that found a clear majority of state residents oppose proposed legislation that would require a prescription for the purchase of pseudoephedrine.

An educational briefing, “Widespread Nutrient Shortfalls: A Public Health Crisis?” was held for Capitol Hill staffers Friday by the Congressional Dietary Supplement Caucus, in cooperation with the leading trade associations representing the dietary supplement industry — the American Herbal Products Association, the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, the Council for Responsible Nutrition, the Natural Products Association and the United Natural Products Alliance.

The American Pharmacists Association has completed its 2013 Pharmacy-based Influenza and Adult Immunization Survey and found an increase in the administration of numerous vaccines by pharmacists, a growing network of patient referral relationships and steps being taken toward improved documentation practices, the Association has announced.

Demonstrating pharmacists’ increasingly important role in the delivery of healthcare services, more than 400 community pharmacists, pharmacy executives, pharmacy students and other pharmacy advocates from 40 states participated in the 6th Annual NACDS RxImpact Day on Capitol Hill this week.

The Federal Trade Commission is holding a public workshop in March to examine U.S. healthcare competition issues as healthcare spending swallows up a significant part of federal and state budgets. Among the topics up for discussion, according to reports, are retail clinics and telemedicine.

Poll

Poll

Which of the current U.S. Presidential hopefuls do you think would be best for your business?

Hillary Clinton

Jeb Bush

Donald Trump

Ted Cruz

Ben Carson

Scott Walker

Marco Rubio

Rand Paul

Chris Christie

Mike Huckabee

SPECIAL REPORTS

Pharmacy’s battle for recognition continues

Fifty years ago this summer, President Lyndon B. Johnson secured his place in history by signing into law the legislation that created Medicare and Medicaid. To commemorate the anniversary, Drug Store News has put together an exclusive report on the effect that Medicare and Medicaid have had on the retail pharmacy industry and how it has transformed the role of the pharmacist. more...

IN THIS ISSUE

In this issue, DSN profiles Rite Aid and how the company is achieving a vision to become a retail healthcare company that delivers a higher level of care to its communities; takes you on a tour of Sears; offers insight into millennial shoppers and more. Click here to view the issue.